By Rudy Taylor

While attending a job fair last week where Taylor Newspapers manned a booth, I met lots of job seekers. Read more

CANEY — A Dearing man died in a one-vehicle wreck east of Caney on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 4.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said Donald Edward Byrd, Jr., age 56, of Dearing was driving eastbound on U.S. 166 highway between Caney and Tyro when the 1994 Ford Ranger he was driving left the roadway and ramped two driveways before coming to rest on the east side of the second driveway.

Byrd was transported to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

UPDATE (Friday, Aug. 26): Derek Smith of Independence has been formally charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of his wife, Tyra (Goins) Smith. Tyra was shot and killed at her home Wednesday evening. Derek’s bond was set at $2 million. More details later.

* * * * *

Here is a statement issued from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday, Aug 25:

At approximately 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Aug. 24, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of shots fire at a residence south of Independence.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found Tyra Smith had been the victim of a shooting at her home. A person of interest has been taken into custody.

Montgomery County Detectives and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation are continuing the investigation at this time. Charges will be filed pending review of the reports by the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office.

Click “Read more” to access list.

Read more

Winners of the Coffeyville Inter-State Fair and Rodeo royalty titles were (left to right) Brady McCullough, king; Tyler Smith, prince; Delaney Pippin, princess, and Brittney Kent, queen. For more details, see the Aug. 11 edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle.

CHERRYVALE — Colorful banners designating Cherryvale as the gateway to Big Hill Lake and home to the Cherryvale Chargers will soon adorn Main Street.

City councilors on Monday approved the purchase of 47 banners that will be placed on 47 light poles on Main Street, from Liberty to Montgomery streets. The banner chosen by an online poll of city residents includes a picture of Big Hill Lake framed in a field of Charger blue. “CHERRYVALE” is printed in bold red letters while “Gateway to Big Hill Lake” and “Home of the Chargers” is printed in reverse type. The Charger mascot also will be included on the banners.

A Mass of Christian burial has been scheduled for Monday, May 30, at 11 a.m. in the St. Peter the Apostle Church in Joplin for three victims of last week’s tornado in Joplin. Burial will be in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery in Cherryvale.

Rusty Howard, 29, and his two children, Harli, 5, and Hayze, 19 months, were found together in the after-storm rubble of a retail building in Joplin. Family members said the children were clutched in the arms of their father when their bodies were discovered by rescuers. They are survived by Rusty’s wife and the children’s mother, Edie Boss of Joplin who was working at the time of the tornado and was not with the other family members when the storm struck last Sunday evening. Edie Boss is a former resident of Cherryvale and has many relatives there.

A full obituary will be printed in this week’s Montgomery County Chronicle.

The Montgomery County Chronicle E-Edition is available to everyone this week…subscribers, non-subscribers, friends, family, and those just passing by. Be safe, stay warm, and enjoy the Chronicle!

If the above graphic does not display, click here to get your newspaper.

BREAKING NEWS: Gathering information about the partial collapse of the American Family Insurance office building at Penn and Myrtle in downtown Independence. No injuries reported. Damage confined to an upper level and south wall. More details later. Photo courtesy of Geremi DeGraw.